Integrated circuit systems often require the transmission and receipt of signals over relatively large distances. For example, in large scale gate arrays, the interconnection of various base gate cells can sometimes require signals to propagate over the entire width of an integrated circuit chip. In today's technology, integrated circuit chips have grown so large that some signals may need to propagate many millimeters. The length of the lines associated with these signals creates long transmission lines which result in large delays.
Ordinarily, when a signal needs to be propagated over a large distance or a large fan-out is required for a signal, large bipolar devices are used to generate enough current and charge to overcome the problems with fan-out and delay associated with long line length. Large hi-polar signal drivers are available in BICMOS and BINMOS integrated circuit configurations. However, the addition of bipolar systems to an integrated circuit system greatly increases the cost of the production of the system. Further, no matter what the size of the device driver, transmission of voltage mode signals are susceptible to local fluctuations in the ground plane which can cause errors in the transmission of the signals.